Hey, I am a true blue N.C. and we enjoy vacationing here. Here are a few ideas we have tried or researched for the future:
Mountains:
Hendersonville NC is beautiful a great place to stay with the kids is Highland Lake Inn.
www.hlinn.com It is a resort type bed and breakfast. The southern breakfast is wonderful, you can go swimming, canoeing, biking, fishing etc. ( all included with the price no rental) We normally go waterfall hunting, the kids love it, and I am a 200 lb. woman so it is not bad as far as hiking goes.. You can go to sliding rock, which is a waterfall you can swim it (brrr). White waterfall is the largest in the eastern seaboard, dry falls can be walked behind. You can visit the national forest mentioned above and even picnic on your trip, and they offer family rafting that is goo for smaller kids in the area and you can even inter tube down a natural lazy creek near sliding rock. Hendersonville is very small town and even still has a Monday night closed off the streets downtown dance. Make sure to eat at Threechopt, a nice sandwich shop, and get an Ice cream at Killigans ( I think that was the name, they make homemade candy, free samples Yum!!!)
Asheville is nice also (only 25 miles from Hendersonville) you can see the Biltmore Estate and the Grove Park Inn is located there also.
Lake Lure and Chimmney rock are nice.
Up in the Northern mountains, you have Grandfather Mountain and the mile high bridge, you can rent a cabin, there are some nice ones. Tweetsy Railroad is in the area, but it may be closing soon. Their lease is running out.
Ocean:
The outer banks are very nice, my friend and her family rent a house on Topsail Island every year and love it. You have Kity Hawk, remember Orville and Wilbur Wright!! Bring a kite here Kill Devil can be very windy. in the Kitty Hawk area is Roanoke, they have an ongoing play about the lost colony.
We have also started at the top of NC beaches and spent a week driving down the outer banks seeing the different light houses. The kids enjoyed it because you had to take the ferry sometimes and the are a few actual ship wrecks you can see. ( we made sure to check out the different things available in each area, like I think Curritick Island? not sure I spelled correctly, has a herd of wild mustangs that run up and down the Island. The Battleship NC can also be seen in Wilmington.
ANd do not forget to try some BBQ, it is one of the things we are known for, and if you head to the outbanks be on the lookout for BlackBeard's ghost!!!
Hope this helps happy researching. There are websites that give direction to all the most popular waterfalls. Unfortunately for me, my girls enjoy the mountains more than Disney World. Does not help this Fanatic.
Hope you have a wonderful vacation in our fair state no matter where you choose!
